


Many Happy Returns

by how_about_no



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Jace Is A Softie, M/M, One Shot, Rambling, ish, its cute i guess
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-11
Updated: 2017-02-11
Packaged: 2018-09-23 13:20:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9659177
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/how_about_no/pseuds/how_about_no
Summary: After Jace returns from Valentine's boat, Simon goes to check on him, and gets more than he was expecting.





	

**Author's Note:**

> so i wanted more jimon
> 
> have it

“You’re going to wear your shoes away,” Alec said, his arms crossed and a frown just coming through his stoic exterior, “Or the floor.”

“I’m worried,” Simon replied honestly. It had been an hour since they had last heard from Clary. An hour since she had said ‘I’ve found him.’, then crackled out of signal and disappeared. You’d think that would mean something bad, but Simon knew Clary. She was coming back. It was whether it would be with or without Jace that worried Simon. They didn’t even know what condition he was in. She could’ve found his body.

No, Simon shook the thought away. He was alive. Somehow, Simon felt like he would know if he was dead. He just would.

“We’re all worried,” For once, Alec didn’t say it in a condescending manner. There was something like understanding in his eyes. Simon hoped it didn’t mean what he thought it meant. Before he could reply, though, the institute doors swung open and Clary and Jace came barrelling in, soaking wet and panting.

“I need-” Clary took in a deep breath, registering all the eyes on her, then glancing towards Jace with a grimace- “A shower. I need a shower.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Simon said to her before she went, and she gave him a small smile, then disappeared down a corridor.

“Jace!” Alec yelled, and stumbled into a hug with his parabatai. In that moment, Simon didn’t know what to do. He just awkwardly crossed his arms and watched the two hug. From here, he could see Jace’s face, and his eyes were closed contently. Then again, with the bruising around one of them, it could be from swelling. That, and the visible grazes on his forehead made worry curl in Simon’s stomach once again, “I’ll go get Victor. He’ll want to see you,” Alec said when he finally let Jace go, and with a wet smile, left as well.

Simon knew everyone in the room was still watching them, probably in shock from the sudden entrance, but Jace was just looking at him. Unsure what to do, Simon held out a hand.

“Glad you’re alive,” He paused, “man.”

“Thanks,” Jace bit his lip, then took the offered hand, “man.”

“So, uh,” Simon crossed his arms again when they had shaken and released, “Why are you soaking wet?”

“Wet t shirt competition.”

“Oh,” Simon nodded, going along with whatever weird coping mechanism this was, “Did you win?”

“I don’t know, Simon,” Jace shrugged, “Have you seen me?”

“Congratulations on winning.”

“You’re lucky you’re cute,” Jace patted Simon on the shoulder, then walked away, just quickly enough for the comment to register once he was already gone.

“ _Cute?”_

 

Clary hadn’t spoken for ten minutes since Simon came in. She was rubbing at her hair with a towel and frowning into a mirror. He wanted to know what happened, if anything happened, and if it was over, but she didn’t seem forthcoming with information.

“I need to-” “So what-” Clary and Simon started speaking at the same time, and their eyes met in the mirror.

“You go first,” Clary said, biting her lip.

“No, no you go,” Simon waved a hand, “I was just going to ask a nosy question.”

“Simon,” Clary said his name in the way that always made him slightly scared for his life.

“What happened?”

“You’re right,” Clary sighed, “I really don’t want to answer that,” Simon waited, “I was watching the ship, waiting to see anything. One of Valentine’s newly made shadowhunters found me, took me into some warehouse or something. I managed to escape, and made a portal, don’t ask, to get onto the ship. I saw Jace there,” She swallowed, “He was a mess, Simon. I’ve never seen him so beaten up. God knows what Valentine had been doing to him, but it was bad. We got up to the starboard or whatever you call it, and had to fight off at least a dozen people. Then we jumped over the side.”

“Jace looked fine when you guys got back,” Simon frowned, “Healing runes?”

“A lot of them,” Clary’s eyes widened like she was remembering just how many, “It took so long that we got to talk. Long story short, Jace isn’t my brother,” Simon tried not to let his disappointment show on his face, “But he is an ass hole.”

“What?”

“He said, and I quote ‘It was stupid to think we could ever be together. When I found out we were brother and sister, I thought my heart was breaking, but it wasn’t.’ whatever the hell that means,” Clary laughed slightly, “I can’t believe we thought we could be together. Maybe it was the adrenaline, or something, but we work better as a fighting team, not as a couple. He’s right, I know he is. But he did it in such a- a- dick way.”

“That can’t surprise you. I mean, he’s never exactly been delicate.”

“No,” Clary tilted her head, “Maybe I’m just not someone he wants to be delicate with.”

“I’m pretty sure Jace wouldn’t be delicate with anyone,” Simon shrugged, “He’s, as you said, an ass hole.”

“I don’t know,” Clary pursed her lips, and met Simon’s eyes in the mirror again, “Everyone has someone they melt around. Alec melts around Magnus, and I thought he was made of stone. Well, in most cases at least.”

“I guess you have to be wrong sometimes.”

“Only sometimes, though.”

 

This was a terrible idea. This was the worst, the most awful, terrible, crap idea. There was no excuse, really. No reason to be here that didn’t completely reveal every thought Simon had had in the last few weeks. Then again, after checking on Clary, it was only fair to check on Jace too. That was it, that made sense. He was checking in, doing his rounds, being a good guy. That was all.

Simon knocked on Jace’s door.

It opened a few seconds later, and Jace was stood there, a baggy sweatshirt hanging off his shoulders, and even baggier sweatpants practically falling off his hips.

“Simon,” Jace registered who he’d just answered the door to and adjusted the top over his shoulders, “Are you- are you here to shout at me? Because, as much as I deserve it, I’m really not-”

“No!” Simon finally managed to speak after being distracted by how adorably innocent Jace looked, “I wanted to check on you, actually,” He pursed his lips as Jace continued to stare at him, “She’s fine, really, and she’s gone to sleep. After checking on her, the logical continuation, for me personally, was to check on you. Not like- not like I personally care about your safety, even though I do. I just- it seemed polite to-”

“Shut up,” Jace had closed his eyes, as if Simon would disappear if he did it for long enough, “I’m fine. The iratze runes healed me up,” He gestured at his face, “See? Perfect as always. So, if you don’t mind-”

Jace went to shut the door, but Simon stopped it with his hand. With a perfectly sculpted raised brow, Jace looked from Simon’s face, to his hand, back to his face, and to his hand again.

“Are you okay? Like, emotionally,” Simon cringed at how sincere he sounded. No doubt Jace would give him shit for being concerned.

“Not really, no,” Jace wouldn’t meet his eyes, but he wasn’t trying to close the door anymore, “Me and Clary aren’t related, apparently.”

“I know,” Simon shrugged, “Clary told me.”

“I thought it would change everything,” Jace looked at his sock clad feet, twisting his mouth, “That I’d suddenly look at her the same way I had before, but- but I didn’t,” He looked up again, his eyes full of pain, “There’s something wrong with me. I should love her again but I don’t. I don’t love her, and I don’t know if I ever did.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you,” Simon tried to quickly recover from the shock of Jace even speaking to him about all of this. He had expected to get the door slammed in his face, “Feelings change. I don’t know if you know, but you probably do- well, I used to be- I used to be in love with Clary,” He shrugged, grinning, “I swear, I saw all the stars in her eyes and I worshipped the ground she walked on. Somehow, though, I moved on. I don’t know when it happened,” _When I met you,_ “But I haven’t seen her like that since. It’s freeing, isn’t it?”

“She is a handful to be in love with,” Jace nodded, his shoulders relaxing slightly, “I’m sort of relieved I’m not.”

“Me too,” Simon put his hands in his pockets, ready to walk away and call it a night. Jace probably needed sleep, and at least Simon knew he wasn’t in any immediate danger. Maybe he could go smooth things over with Raphael. Getting back in with the clan would probably be better than sleeping in a canoe-

“Simon,” Jace quietly broke Simon out of his thoughts, “You know, Valentine tried to convince me that downworlders are evil. I know you saw me, killing that vampire,” He looked almost ashamed, and Simon swallowed at the memory. It wasn’t good to see. That night, Simon had had a nightmare about that blade going into him instead of the woman Jace killed, “I want you to know that I never believed it. Downworlders aren’t evil. You’re proof of that.”

“How do you know I’m not evil?” Simon tried to joke, and his heart would be beating _so_ fast if he were alive, “I could get up to some killing when you’re not around.”

“Nah,” Jace smirked, “You’re just a nerd that got turned. You wouldn’t hurt anyone unless you had to.”

“Who knew you know me so well?”

“I know,” Jace huffed, “It’s a shock to me too.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Simon breathed after a moment. Jace’s eyebrows shot up, like he wasn’t expecting any more declarations of concern, “I was worried. About you. Not just Clary.”

“Thank you.”

“I should-” Simon pointed over his shoulder, and started to walk away, but was stopped by a hand on his shoulder.

“Tell me to stop,” Jace was close, closer than he had been even when he was threatening Simon with a seraph blade, “Tell me-”

“Don’t stop.”

That was all the motivation Jace needed, apparently, because he was kissing Simon. It wasn’t rough, or rushed, not like Simon thought it would be. It was a gentle press of lips against lips, and Simon was melting. This was it. This was how Simon was going to die. Jace was being _gentle_ with him, his warm fingers dancing cross Simon’s cheek like he was afraid to touch.

When he pulled away, all Simon could do was blink.

“I was about to watch a movie,” Jace bit his lip, his eyes flicking between Simon’s eyes and mouth, “If you want to join.”

“Is it one of the Star Wars?”

“Lord of the Rings.”

“I’d love to,” Simon grinned, and, this time, Jace grinned back.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think!
> 
> tumblr- girlsf0rgirls


End file.
